The Haro Shift R9 Plus is a well-performing trail bike that is a great value. At $2,790 it's not cheap, but it’s less than a lot of 130mm trail bikes and comes with parts that won't hold you back.

You get Shimano XT shifters and rear derailleur with SLX hydraulic disc brakes, RockShox suspension in front and back, a 120mm dropper post, and 2.6-inch Kenda Havok Plus tires. It's as good a selection of parts as we've seen on a bike at this price.

The geometry has a longish reach (though definitely not the longest in this category), and longer chainstays. That combo makes the bike stable when you're blasting through rock gardens and an excellent climber. It doesn’t feel as long in the back as the chainstay length suggests.

For the price, you get a good, all-around ride that will makes trails feel easier for less experienced riders and encourage more skilled riders to get out there and shred.

What’s New for 2019?

The R9 is a new top-of-the-line version of the Shift line. In addition to giving it some nicer parts than the Shift Plus, Haro also reduced the tire width from 2.8 inches to 2.6.

For parts, the new R9 comes with a Shimano XT 1x drivetrain with Praxis cranks. You get a 30t front ring and an 11-speed 11-46 cassette. That range leans toward climbing—the smaller chainring up front makes it easier to spin (or grunt) up steep slopes but you lose a little top-end speed.

Reducing the tire width helps make the bike feel lighter and more agile. But you still have some of the best benefits of plus-size tires: the low tire pressures you can run gives excellent traction and helps the bike roll over rocky and technical terrain easier than standard tires.

Trevor Raab

Shift R9 Geometry

The geometry is pretty typical for a modern trail bike, but the 457mm chainstays are longer than some to accommodate the plus-size wheels. Because the frame hasn't changed, the stays were made to accommodate tires up to 2.8-inches even though this model comes with 2.6s. The 68-degree head tube is paired with a 46mm fork offset on the medium size we tested. The bike has 439mm of reach and 621mm of stack height.

Shift Suspension

The R9 (and a few other Shift models) uses a four-bar Host-link suspension similar to what you find on bikes from Specialized, Transition, and some others. Rear suspension is controlled by a RockShox Monarch RL in the rear, and a 140mm RockShock revelation fork.

Set at 25 percent sag, the R9 felt like it had an efficient pedaling platform. Riding on some bike park trails, it was easy to get full travel to absorb some big hits without feeling like I was overwhelming that suspension. Some early-travel suppleness helped provide extra traction while climbing.

The Shift Family

There are 8 models in the Shift lineup, ranging between $1,200 for the Shift S3 and $2,780 for this one, the top-of-the-line Shift R9 Plus. There's also an electric-bike version, the $5,900 Shift-Plus i/O 9.

All the models come with 27.5-inch wheels, but this and the electric option are the only ones that fits plus-size tires. With the exception of the single-pivot S3, all the Shift models use a four-bar suspension.

Ride Impressions

The Shift R9 Plus fits squarely into the trail bike category. It’s long enough and feels stable enough to ride some difficult trails and the 2.6-inch tires will help make trail nasties feel easier.

It's maneuverable for a bike with such a long back end and I was able to quickly flick around unexpected obstacles at speed. The suspension handled the choppy stuff well and I climbed with the platform setting fully open and noticed very little pedal bob. The gear range was well suited to a long morning of climbing and the brakes performed well during hard stops and when being feathered through steeper terrain.

The Shift uses a four-bar suspension, similar to the design on Specialized, Transition, and other bikes.

Trevor Raab

What struck me was how much control I felt. The bike felt responsive when I pushed on climbs and there was very little flex in the frame. And the longish reach, long stays, and dropper post made the bike a capable descender. It's a little less maneuverable than some, but worked okay in tight terrain. It's a solid all-around bike that's ideal for trails with some climbing, some descending and some techy bits. Basically, it's what you'd want in any trail bike at a really nice price.

Matt JacobsTest Editor, BicyclingMatt grew up riding BMX in the UK and has ridden across Europe and the US, and now he’s putting those miles to use testing road, mountain, and city bikes for Bicycling.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Bicycling participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.